Leslie Smith is a partner with Foley & Lardner LLP. Leslie litigates a range of commercial matters at both the trial and appellate levels in both federal and state courts. Her franchising and distribution practice provides clients with counseling and litigation services, from initial negotiations through resolution, including mediation, arbitration and trial. Leslie has represented franchisors and distributors in a variety of commercial disputes involving trademarks, trade secrets, covenants not to compete and vicarious liability claims. She is a member of the Distribution & Franchise Practice and the former managing partner of the Miami office.
Experiência de representação
- Obtaining a favorable verdict for a hospitality franchisor client on its counterclaim for breach of a franchise agreement preceded by the entry of summary judgment in favor of the franchisor, its parent company and two former employees on the franchisee’s complaint alleging RICO violations. The counterclaim was tried non-jury after the court granted our clients’ motion to strike jury demand
- Obtaining a summary judgment on a franchisor’s claims for post termination trademark infringement and counterfeiting against its former franchisee
- Obtaining injunctive relief on a distributor’s claims against a former employee for misappropriation of trade secrets and violations of a covenant not to compete
- Successfully defending a franchisor client from a competitor’s motion for injunctive relief arising out of claims of false advertising
- Obtaining a summary judgment for a franchisor in a wrongful death action involving Florida’s Dram Shop law
- Obtaining a preliminary injunction against a former employee of a logistics client for violation of the employee’s covenant not to compete who claimed the covenant to be unenforceable on the grounds of workplace harassment
- Winning preliminary injunctions on behalf of many franchisor clients to prevent former franchisee’s unauthorized use of the franchisor’s registered trademarks
Prémios e reconhecimentos
- Selected as a 2023 “Franchise Law Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers.
- Recognized by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as one of the top franchise attorneys nationwide (2010 – 2023)
- Selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Franchise Law (2013 – 2024)
- Recognized as a Top Lawyer – Franchise in South Florida Legal Guide (2015 – 2018)
- Named to BTI Consulting Group’s coveted Client Service All Star Team in 2017, this honor is bestowed upon individual attorneys who deliver outstanding client service according to corporate counsel interviewed at large organizations with $1 billion or more in revenue
- Avaliação por pares classificada como AV Preeminent®, a classificação de desempenho mais elevada na Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™
- Recognized by The International Who’s Who of Franchise Lawyers (2009 – 2013, 2016 – 2017)
- Selected for inclusion in the Florida Super Lawyers list (2014 – 2017)
- Recognized by her peers as one of Franchise Times Legal Eagles (2013 – 2014)
Filiações
- Member, Forum on Franchising
- Membro da Ordem dos Advogados Americana
- Member, International Franchise Association
- Member, Board of Governors Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee
- Membro da Organização de Mulheres Presidentes
- Member 100+ Women Who Care
- Past member, Governing Committee
- Past member, Florida State Bar Association
- Past-president, Dade County Bar Association
Apresentações e publicações
- Co-author, “Annual Franchise and Distribution Law Developments,” American Bar Association (2004)
Leslie Smith discute o crescimento do mercado jurídico na Flórida
Leslie Smith, sócia-gerente do escritório Foley & Lardner LLP em Miami, conversou com a Law360 para o artigo “Líderes de escritórios de advocacia da Flórida prevêem crescimento contínuo em 2024”.
Advogados da Foley reconhecidos no Best Lawyers in America de 2024
Foley & Lardner LLP orgulhosamente anunciou hoje que 236 dos advogados da empresa em 20 escritórios dos EUA receberam reconhecimento na edição de 2024 de The Best Lawyers in America©.
Foley obtém as melhores classificações na Chambers USA 2023
Foley & Lardner LLP tem o prazer de anunciar que foi novamente reconhecido pela Chambers & Partners como um dos principais escritórios de advocacia do país na edição de 2023 da Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business.
Advogados da Foley reconhecidos nos Melhores Advogados da América em 2023
Foley & Lardner LLP tem o orgulho de anunciar que 250 dos nossos advogados em 20 escritórios foram reconhecidos na edição de 2023 de The Best Lawyers in America.
Foley é classificado entre os melhores escritórios de advocacia do país na Chambers USA 2022
A Foley foi novamente reconhecida pela Chambers & Partners como um dos principais escritórios de advocacia na edição de 2022 da Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business.
As palavras são importantes: elaborando acordos de arbitragem que sejam cumpridos — uma visão da prática
Junte-se a Roland Potts, Leslie Smith e Michael Lockerby, da Foley, no dia 19 de maio, para uma discussão detalhada sobre acordos de arbitragem e como garantir que eles permaneçam executáveis, signifiquem o que dizem e digam o que significam.